I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8829 

To expedite new Tribal court assessments and base support funding, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 25, 2024 

Ms. OMAR (for herself, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, and Mr. GRIJALVA) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To expedite new Tribal court assessments and base support 

funding, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tribal Courts Support 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INDIAN TRIBAL JUSTICE ACT AMENDMENTS. 

7 The Indian Tribal Justice Act (25 U.S.C. 3601 et 

8 seq.) is amended— 

9 (1) in section 102 (25 U.S.C. 3612), by adding 

10 at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(d) INITIAL ANNUAL SURVEY PRIORITIES.—In the 

2 course of the initial annual survey for an Indian Tribe, 

3 the Office may instruct the non-Federal entity, which may 

4 be either a for-profit or nonprofit entity, which conditions 

5 under subsection (b) to prioritize, expedite, or both.’’; and 

6 (2) in section 103 (25 U.S.C. 3613)— 

7 (A) in subsection (c), by adding at the end 

8 the following: 

9 ‘‘(5) The Secretary shall have discretion to ad10 just the base support funding formula under this 

11 subsection as needed to provide initial base support 

12 funding to an Indian Tribe that has not received 

13 funding.’’; and 

14 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(d) INITIAL BASE SUPPORT FUNDING.— 

16 ‘‘(1) The Secretary shall provide initial base 

17 support funding on an expedited basis to an Indian 

18 Tribe that has not previously received funding under 

19 this section. 

20 ‘‘(2) In determining the initial base support 

21 funding for an Indian Tribe under this subsection, 

22 the Secretary may consider the local conditions list23 ed in subsection (b) of section (102) and the factors 

24 listed in subsection (c)(3) of this section, to the ex25 tent such factors are available for that Indian Tribe. 


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1 The Secretary may not delay the initial base support 

2 funding to the Indian Tribe due to the unavailability 

3 of such information.’’. 

4 SEC. 3. REPORT ON BARRIERS TO TRIBAL JUSTICE SERV5 ICES. 

6 Not later than 360 days after the date of the enact7 ment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall conduct 

8 an audit of and issue a report on barriers that prevent 

9 Indian Tribes from accessing Tribal justice services. The 

10 report may include the following: 

11 (1) Recommendations that may enable timely 

12 and efficient provision of services to Indian Tribes. 

13 (2) Information on and an analysis of the fol14 lowing: 

15 (A) The process by which— 

16 (i) Tribal court assessments are con17 ducted by Tribal Justice Support; and 

18 (ii) approved Tribal Justice Support 

19 funds are distributed to Indian Tribes. 

20 (B) Whether the length of such an assess21 ment process is necessary in the initial case of 

22 a Tribe seeking to establish a Tribal court and, 

23 if not, whether and how such an assessment 

24 process may be truncated, expedited, or segVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Aug 08, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8829.IH H8829

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1 mented in the case of a Tribe seeking to estab2 lish a Tribal court. 

3 (C) Federal funds that may be saved and 

4 returned to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal 

5 Priority Allocations due to a streamlined initial 

6 court establishment assessment process. 

7 (D) Whether and how the assessment proc8 ess may be customized to the particular judicial 

9 jurisdictions and customs of each Indian Tribe. 

10 (E) Whether and how a Indian Tribe may 

11 continue accessing Tribal Justice Support fund12 ing and services while a pending Tribal court 

13 assessment is being processed. 

Æ 


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